


Make My World Real

by leaderdino



Category: VIXX
Genre: M/M, future!Au, lovesick lonely hongbin, slight angst and fluff
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-12-01
Updated: 2016-12-01
Packaged: 2018-09-03 16:28:12
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 9,006
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8720725
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/leaderdino/pseuds/leaderdino
Summary: Hongbin wanted to know whether the person he had seen in his dream was real or not.





	

**Author's Note:**

  * For [KasaiGin](https://archiveofourown.org/users/KasaiGin/gifts).



Hongbin was fidgeting in his seat, looking more nervous than he intended to. He tried to distract his thoughts and do something to kill time, but nothing seemed to work. The thin, flat screen was cold against his fingers and he could swear he felt the pixels moving against his skin. He tried not to pull away, to look normal and not to gain more attention than he had already done but it was not an easy task. He liked this feeling usually, the pure energy and raw technology between his fingers, but his mind was too messed up now to work properly. Reading the current news helped him to relax most of the time but he couldn't even focus on the words in front of him.

People feared different things. One was afraid of spiders, the other from heights or death, or, like Hongbin, from doctors. He just came for a regular check-up, yet he felt so nervous that one could think he was here to hear whether he will die next day or not. 

There was a young boy beside him, probably not older than eight, playing on his phone happily. Hongbin wanted to laugh at how hilarious they might look next to each other, but he envied the boy for being so calm and settled at a hospital. He didn't know the boy's story, it might be the kid's first time in a hospital or he might be a regular patient who was immune to the suffocating atmosphere. There were also the possibilities that he had a chip against the fear or that he couldn't even feel anything since he was an android. Either way it still amazed Hongbin how different people could be, how the kid looked more mature than him.

"Next"

Hongbin turned his face towards the stern voice, his eyes meeting with the nurse's hard gaze. Without thinking, he jumped up and placed the pad back to the seat. He didn't waste time with closing the pages he had read, he knew the next patient who were going to pick it up would probably read the same news. After all, there was only one thing that still could interest people and that was the new inventions made each day. 

He followed the nurse into a small examination room and sat on the large white chair where she had signed him. He sat like a statue there, not even daring to blink. The nurse moved around in the small room, gathering some necessary tools then sat in front of Hongbin. He made Hongbin feel even more nervous even though he usually calmed down by now. He tried to search for the small barcode on her neck that could verify if she was human or not and he shivered slightly when he spotted the familiar sign of the cyborg code. Hongbin didn't have any problems with cyborgs, he thought they were cool and useful in the modern society, but he preferred the human interactions with _real humans_. 

The nurse took a small syringe out of one of the drawers then grabbed Hongbin's wrist and twisted it enough for her to see the veins properly. She ran her fingers through the surface then she pierced the skin and took a small amount of his blood, only to drip some onto the scanner’s surface.

"Lee Hongbin, age twenty-three, single, Worker" Hongbin nodded in approval and she started to run the scan, searching for any deformations in Hongbin's body. 

As he was waiting for the nurse to say something, his arms started to shake in nervousness. He tried to hide it, though he knew it was already too late.

"I can give you something for the shaking" she offered, her fingers reaching for a small box automatically. She didn't wait for an answer, she usually didn't have to, and took out a barely noticeable chip with the tweezers. 

Hongbin shook his whole body slightly at the sight of the chip, still remembering the feeling of getting it planted under his skin from the last time. Rubbing both of his arms harshly, he tried to numb his skin. The process wasn't painful in the first place, but it was still unpleasant and left a strange feeling on his skin for days. It was like a small mosquito bite, nothing more, but the aftereffect was much greater than that. People said it was different for everyone and Hongbin wished he could be a different person after he had gotten his first chip. It had hurt, not in a painful way but he had a strange burning feeling under his skin for almost two weeks. He still remembered for it clearly, not regretting getting it but finding it quite unnecessary over the years. He had gotten it when he was barely more than ten to help him fight with minor illnesses. His immune system was never the best and he had gotten flu every second week so his parents decided to get him a chip, a medical chip, to keep him protected from sicknesses. He had only gotten two after that: one to fix his eyes and make his sight as clear and sharp as it had been in his childhood, and one to help his brain stock more information. The latter could be quite useful, he was dreaming to become an engineer but he still lacked the money to get into the prestigious school he had laid his eyes on. After getting these chips he didn't plan to have another one ever again unless it was unavoidable. His shaking arms due to nervousness were clearly not a necessary case.

"No, thank you, I'm in no need for that"

The nurse eyed him for a few seconds, then nodded in acknowledgment and put the chip back to the case. She probably didn't understand Hongbin, she might even thought that he was crazy but she still respected his decision and Hongbin was thankful for that. It was not usual that someone refused to get a chip planted under the skin, most people loved it because it made them feel untouchable and immortal. Hongbin never understood them. Each chip he got made him feel less human, less real. He didn't feel the power that people usually talked about but he felt a small part of him slipping away. He didn't want that, even in the world they were living, Hongbin still wished to stay himself, a mere human who could be imperfect and die one day. 

A small beeping sound disturbed Hongbin's thoughts and he turned his attention back to the nurse. She was still scanning the screen in front of him, humming every time a new information popped up. Hongbin couldn't see the screen from his current spot, not like he would understand anything from it anyway, but he did see the nurse's flat expression that he was unable to read. 

"Your data is clean, aside from being overstressed, you are considered healthy" her fingers moved across the screen, then she turned around only to hold a small device in front of Hongbin "I'm signing you up for a dream capsule session, it will help you relax both mentally and physically. Sign, please" 

Hongbin stared at her for a second then his eyes shifted to the device and he gulped nervously. He only needed a signature, a fingerprint to verify that he had agreed to the session, and he could lie in one of the capsules immediately. He was both excited and nervous about them, having heard about different experiences of the capsule made his decision more complicated. 

For most people, the dream capsule really helped to deal with stress and everyday problems. It helped them to travel exotic places that they could never visit, see the ones they had missed eagerly or do something that would be impossible in their lives. It was a good opportunity for everyone if their mental health was excellent enough to make difference between dream and reality. There were people - more than the government will ever admit - that went insane after using the dream capsule. They couldn't make difference between the fake and the real world anymore, most of them didn't even know they had ever woken up. They became a threat for both themselves and the society so they had to be taken care of by the government. It was better if they had never woken up from their dreams - it was less cruel than to get eaten up by them. At that was what Hongbin had been afraid about: either not waking up ever again or losing his sense over reality. 

Hongbin was perfectly aware that, just like for everything else, there was a chip for decreasing the risks to the minimum. However that chip was extremely rare and one could only get one in a special case. Hongbin had never met a person who had a chip like that before, but he imagined he would spot the difference immediately. They were odd people, he heard, because of the amount of time they had spent dreaming. They were mostly Monitors that made sure no one dreamed about going against the government or curious scientists that wanted to make the capsules even more perfect. Either way, Hongbin had to agree, they were probably odd. And scary. He wasn't quite afraid of them, but he thought no sane people would want to become a monitor. 

He was still staring at the small device in front of him, unsure of what to do. He knew he didn't really have a choice, he had to sign the permission or he could be suspicious in the government's eyes later, but he still felt the urge to refuse. 

"You don't have to worry about it. It's completely safe"

The nurse looked stoic, maybe a bit too inhuman for Hongbin's liking. She definitely didn't convince him about the safety of the procedure, but he had to admit it, he was a bit curious to use the capsule even if he knew the dangers of it. 

"Do I really need it?"

The nurse confirmed it with a short nod, and with a deep sigh, Hongbin pressed his thumb against the machine. After a second, the machine let out a small beep, signaling that it accepted Hongbin's fingerprint. The nurse stood up from her seat immediately, pointing towards the door at the back of the room with her head. 

"Follow me"

Hongbin did as he was told to. The nurse led him through a long corridor, presenting him hundreds of different examination rooms. She told some stuff about them to Hongbin, but he wasn't paying attention to her words, he was too busy focusing on how to calm himself. He had zero interest in the examination rooms, they just made him feel more nervous than before. 

They passed a small group on their way and Hongbin felt the chill running down his spine as they all turned their heads towards him. He fixed his gaze on the ground, not daring to look at any of them. It made him feel like they were gazing holes into his back and this feeling didn't seem to be leaving him, not even after he had arrived at the examination room. He was one hundred percent sure that someone from that group, maybe a Monitor, had followed them. He didn't dare to look anywhere else than the ground in front of him. Even when the nurse forced him to sit at the edge of the capsule, he didn't take his eyes off of his own feet.

She dropped a few white pills into Hongbin's palm and signed him to take them. Hongbin eyed the small pills warily, being a bit hesitant whether he should really swallow them or not, but at the end he shoved all of them into his mouth without asking. 

 "Close your eyes and relax"

He fidgeted a little to get into a comfortable position. He still felt the curious eyes on him, but he tried to calm himself with thinking that it was only the nurse's gaze. He closed his eyes just as he was told to and took a deep breath. He didn't know if he should count back from ten just like in the movies or just think about sleeping and the nurse didn't tell him anything. He wanted to ask about it but he had already started to feel the tiredness taking control over his body.

 

 

 

"Hey, kid"

Hongbin's eyes flew open as he heard his boss calling for him, waving his hand in front of his face. He looked concerned, the new wrinkles on his forehead made him look much older than he actually was. He was asking something but Hongbin's mind was too disturbed to comprehend his words. He reached up to rub his temple and nodded automatically to his boss.

The old man seemed to be pleased with that and before Hongbin's mind could start working again, he had stormed out of the shop, leaving him completely alone. 

Hongbin leaned onto the counter tiredly, silently thanking the Gods that the shop was empty so he didn't seem rude in the costumers' eyes. Not like any of them could complain after how most of them treated him. At least Hongbin always tried to act nice and be as humble as possible. 

He felt strange. He wasn't tired yet he felt as exhausted as never before. Maybe he had worked too much? He was always in the shop even before or after his shift if his boss asked him. He had spent so much time in the shop that sometimes he felt like he was living there and this was his house instead of his small apartment at the other side of the district. However, he liked to spend his time at his workplace, sometimes he had even stayed after closing or came in earlier. Unlike in his small apartment where no one was waiting for him, he could have some human interaction in the shop.

He hated to admit it, but he felt lonely almost every day. He had long moved away from his family and since he had no boyfriend or a flatmate, he was living completely alone without another human around. His only companions were the small bugs he had occasionally created at home or his ex-classmate from high school who had visited him once in every month. He wished he had someone by his side every day, someone who loved him and cared for him, someone whom with he could share his life. 

The whole shop was empty and silent and Hongbin didn't know what to do with himself. After suffering from boredom for long minutes, he decided to clean up the mess around the counter. There was a thin layer of dust that he wiped off and he threw the already dead flowers out. There were also a few empty boxes that needed to be thrown out and one or two that had to be brought to the back of the store.

As he moved the boxes aside, he saw something shining behind one of the flowers. He pushed the plant aside and revealed a small artificial butterfly lying there with broken wings. With careful moves, he took the small creature in his hands and examined it from close. The damage wasn't serious, just a small break at the base of the wing that Hongbin could repair easily. If it would be anything more serious, like an error in the wiring, he wouldn't be able to repair it in the shop.

He packed the necessary tools on the counter and held the bug steady with two fingers. It might be a quick and easy work but he was afraid the butterfly would move and make it more difficult or even cause more damage. He grabbed the soldering pistol and started to solder the broken part slowly and carefully. He finished it within a few minutes but he hold the butterfly still for a few more minutes, to make sure that it wouldn't break again. He knew how brisk his butterflies were and he didn't want it to break its new wings in the first minute.

He took some paint out of the drawer and painted the freshly brazed part with purple ink. The color suited the old reddish color of the wings and it gave the bug a new, fresh style. It looked even better than the original coloring.

He let go of the butterfly and waited a few moments for the bug to start moving. It stretched its wings painfully slow at first that Hongbin started to wonder he had ruined the fixing but then the bug suddenly rose from the counter and flew on Hongbin's arm happily. 

"Aren't you a cute fellow?" he chuckled, running his fingertip through the wing "Maybe you would suit yellow flowers"

He carried the butterfly to the shop window where the newly created bouquets were and placed it in one of the yellow daisies. He watched with a gentle smile as the bug moved around in its new place, and then settled on a white lily at the end. 

The smog outside was thicker than usual, making everything look more plain and gloomy. Everything looked black and white on the streets, not like they had more colors anyway. This was one of the reasons why Hongbin liked working in the small flower shop - that was the only place where he could see vivid colors at any time of the day. Even if not all the flowers were real around him, they still glistened in various lively colors. And the small cyber-bugs he had built just made them even prettier. He loved these little creatures, they were full of life and he liked making new and new ones. They were fun to be around with and they definitely made the whole shop lovelier. He just made them out of pure enjoyment at first but costumers took a liking on them and they liked to buy bees, ladybugs and butterflies along with the bouquets. 

He kept staring out of the window, admiring how the colorful bugs broke the dullness of the outside world. People passing by the shop looked so plain and gloomy that Hongbin felt the urge to give all of them something colorful from the shop, be it a flower or a bug. He didn’t even want to look out of the shop, he was happier until he was inside, but before he could turn his head away, someone had caught his attention.

The man was taller than the people around him, maybe even taller than Hongbin. He had messy, raven black locks that covered almost half of his small and sharp eyes. His cheeks full, skin porcelain white, his mouth pink. For the first sight, he gave off a dark aura, but the more Hongbin stared at him, the more he found his appearance soft and relaxing. He was looking at the same daisies that he had placed the butterfly on earlier and it made Hongbin blush to think about that he might be adoring his work now. Hongbin was sure the man was aware that he was staring at him and when their eyes met for a brief moment and the other pulled his mouth to a small smile, Hongbin's heart stopped. That faint smile was like a missing puzzle to turn the other into the most beautiful person he had ever seen. It even crossed his mind that the other was a cyborg, because he looked too perfect to be a human. 

The magic broke when the other turned his head away, eying another bouquet somewhere at the other end of the store before he moved to walk away. 

"Wait" Hongbin shouted but the other couldn't hear him through the thick glass walls. Hongbin tore off the small apron that he was wearing and started to run after the man.

However as he opened the door, everything went black.

 

 

 

It was white, a bit too white for Hongbin's liking.  He reached up to rub his eyes tiredly, then looked around, spotting the familiar figure of the nurse instantly. 

"How was it?" she asked, pushing a few buttons on the screen, not even looking at Hongbin.

Hongbin stared in front of himself mutely, not knowing how to respond. He didn't know whether he could tell the nurse about everything he had seen, about the things that had happened to him in the dream or he would get into trouble because of his dreams. He knew that everything he had seen was the deepest wishes of his heart and they were necessary for the success of the procedure but he was aware that not all the thoughts were legal. There were small elements in his dreams that the nurse might find alarming and report him at the government. Yet, the stranger he had seen left him so curious that he almost couldn't hold his tongue.

"When can I go back?"

The nurse stopped in her act and turned towards him slowly. Her eyes were sharp, almost angry as she eyed Hongbin warily. Hongbin knew he had sounded maybe a bit too desperate but he didn't give it too much thought. He could come up with an excuse anytime if he was asked, which he hoped wouldn't happen. 

"Don't get addicted to it, Lee. This is no joke" the nurse warned him, her voice slightly softer than her gaze "See you next Saturday"

 

 

 

Hongbin could swear it was the longest week of his entire life. His job seemed more boring than ever before and his boss more frustrated than usually. Seeing the perfect atmosphere in his dream once was enough for Hongbin to hate how the placed was in reality. It wasn't as colorful as it was in his dream and the whole place looked messier than it should've.  

On top of that, he was constantly searching for the person he had seen in his dream. He knew the other might not be real, he was surely just the creation of his mind, yet he was one hundred percent certain that he had seen him before. He didn't remember where or when but he knew he wasn't just a random passerby. Even if the person in his dream was only made by his brain, he had to be shaped after someone real. Hongbin didn't care that they only met once, there was something in the other that kept attracting him. He wanted to see him once again, he needed to know more about him.  

When he got back to the hospital, the nurse didn't need to tell him to swallow the pills. He practically snatched them out of her hand and lay into the capsule. He couldn't get comfortable, his body was itching in excitement. It was hard for him to calm down when he knew he had a chance to see the other man again. 

 

 

 

When he opened his eyes again, he was already in the flower shop just like last time. His boss wasn't around this time, he had no idea where the man could be but he slightly wished he would be around so he could help him out. The store was surprisingly full with costumers that only happened when there was an important event or holiday in sight. 

He tried keeping an eye on the shop window, hoping that he would see the person he had been waiting for but the costumers constantly required his attention. They were actually interested in the different kind of flowers and Hongbin had to explain everything about them detail by detail. It was kind of odd for him, people usually just walked into the shop, picked an engaging bouquet, paid and left. Sure, there were a few who were interested in flowers, just like him, and they did ask questions but people like that usually came only once a week. Keeping flowers at home or expressing your emotions with them were the things of the past, most people didn't care about them anymore. If the smell was nice, the appearance pleasing, they bought everything without a second thought. It was saddening in Hongbin's opinion, but right now, he would be glad to have indifferent people in the shop.

He was afraid that the other would stand in front of the shop in a moment when he was dealing with a costumer. He might not come into the shop, even if he planned to, because of the crowd. Or he would miss him amongst the crowd. 

But then he spotted him again.

There was no way Hongbin could miss his look. It was the same raven black messy hair, the same high, full cheeks, the sharp and deep eyes, it was unmistakably him. 

He bit his lips nervously, being afraid to leave the small shop and repeat what had happened last time. He didn't want the dream to end but he didn't want to miss another chance to meet the other properly. 

And then, like the Gods had listened to his prayers, the stranger walked into the shop.

He wasn't sure if everyone else left the shop or he was so mesmerized that he could only see the other but he felt like they were the only ones inside. He tried not to stare too strikingly but he couldn't help the small glances he made towards the man. Hongbin felt like a creep as he watched the other smelling the white roses on the shelf and running his fingers through the petals of the red tulips. The man stepped from one bouquet to the other, admiring the flowers silently. He got closer to Hongbin with every step he made and he didn't seem to mind being in the center of his attention. Hongbin went back to stand behind the counter, trying to look less obvious. From there, he could look like a casual shop assistant who was watching over the shop instead of a creep who was drooling over an unknown guy. 

To his surprise the man stepped in front of the counter and Hongbin's heart stopped for a second. He was close, maybe too close and Hongbin could see every inch of his face clearly. 

The man looked at him for a brief moment, then his eyes shifted to the orchids at the side of the counter and he leaned closer to examine them. He closed his eyes slowly and inhaled deeply, smelling the flowers in front of him. When he opened his eyes again, he was looking straight into Hongbin's eyes. 

"They are nice"

Hongbin could feel his face reddening at that and he had to look away in embarrassment. He wasn't entirely sure if the other was talking about the flowers or his eyes but either was it made him feel warm inside. He tried to say something but his mouth suddenly felt dry, the words stuck in his throat. He licked his lips slowly, his eyes fixed on the counter to prevent him from looking at the other accidentally. 

"Ah-, well, yeah, thank you" he shuttered and started to play with sheet of paper immediately. He didn't dare to look up, not when the other was so close to him. He wasn't the shy type usually, but this time he felt like a teenage girl who had her first ever crush in front of her.

"Are you free for a coffee?" 

His voice was so quiet that Hongbin could barely hear him, but god, it was so soft that he wished to listen to it forever. 

Hongbin was staring at his lips, getting totally mesmerized by them. They were not reddish like most people's, no, they had a light pink shade and they looked so smooth that Hongbin felt the urge to touch them. The other shifted slightly and that was when Hongbin noticed that he was staring at him quite impolitely. 

"Now?" he asked, silently thanking the gods that his voice didn't fail him. 

The other nodded, his eyes still fixed on Hongbin. Hongbin bit his bottom lip hesitantly, torn between what to do. He wanted to go with the other, spend time with him and get to know him, but he still had more than three hours until the end of his shift. He could close to shop earlier today and could lie his boss that he had been feeling sick in case the old man tried to fire him but he was awful at lying. Still, he couldn't turn down the other's offer, he was aching to accept it.

"Fine, let me close the shop"

Luckily, no one other was inside the shop anymore, so Hongbin didn't need to send anyone out. He quickly changed the signs outside of the shop from 'open' to 'closed' then shoved all of repairing tools and paints into the drawer. He should've checked to storage and clean the whole place up before closing, but since he did it every day, he decided that it wouldn't hurt to ignore these tasks for a day. He led the other man out before he grabbed his chip-card to close the door of the shop. He didn't left a note nor did he call his boss to inform him that he had left earlier. What the old man didn't know didn't hurt him and Hongbin hoped he would never notice that he had closed the shop before time once.

He didn't know where they were heading but he followed the man without any doubts. It was a bit awkward, at least that was what Hongbin was thinking, because the two of them walked side by side in complete silence. Hongbin wanted to talk, he had so many questions but he simply didn't dare to speak. Even if he felt the silence between them a bit awkward, it was still nice and it didn't seem to bother the other. Maybe it was better like this, maybe asking all the things that had been inside his head would just make everything even more awkward.

They stopped in front of a small café, a place that Hongbin had never seen before. He wasn't sure if it was a new café in the area or he just simply never noticed it. He barely visited cafés, they were a way more expensive that he could afford on regular basis. Whenever he craved coffee he had to settle for the small coffee flavored pills that he could buy for an extremely low price. They didn't taste like real coffee, but they were good to stop the cravings and give his body a hint of caffeine. 

He had never been to this café before, but the other seemed to be a regular costumer. He walked to the counter confidently, leaving Hongbin behind who was gaping at the sight in front of him. The whole place looked like it came from an old movie - light brown walls, slightly dim light, small dark brown tables and chairs with minimal decoration on them. There were a few pictures on the wall, mainly aesthetic photos of different coffee and a few ones about the café itself. A huge wooden board was placed above the counter that presented the menu and the daily offer. Hongbin loved how old fashioned the whole café was, it gave the place a pleasant atmosphere. 

He took a small menu card that was on the counter and started reading the name of the different types of coffees. He had barely heard about a few of them but they all looked mouth-watering on pictures. He was unsure what to order but he didn't want to ask for help, fearing that he might look dumb in front of the other.

"Let me"

The menu was pulled out of Hongbin's hands and the man gave him a faint smile before he stepped to the cashier.

"Two Latte Americano with caramel topping and" he stopped for a moment, his eyes scanning the screens above the cashier's head "two strawberry cheesecakes, please"

Hongbin could listen to his voice for hours. He had a soft voice, one Hongbin had never heard before, but it also had a slightly stern tone that Hongbin couldn't help but adore. It was clear that the other didn't talk that much, he was a silent type, but he still tried to ease the tension between the two of them. 

After the man paid for their orders Hongbin was led to one of the tables at the window and just as they took their seats, their orders were placed on the table. Hongbin took a sip from his coffee immediately, moaning unconsciously at the amazing taste in his mouth. It had been forever since he drank real coffee and he almost forgot how great it had tasted. It was nothing compared to the cheap instant pills that he bought everyday down the road. It felt like heaven as he sipped it slowly, bending the cup too much that he got some whipped cream on his nose.

"Cute" the man chuckled and reached across the table to wipe the whipped cream off from his nose.

Hongbin's face reddened at the other's action and he quickly grabbed a napkin to wipe off the remaining cream and also to hide his burning cheeks. He cleared his throat an embarrassment and grabbed the cup again to held it up and cover most of his face while he talked.

"I still don't know your name" he said, chewing on his lips behind the cup "Mine is Hongbin"

The other didn't reply at first. He was staring at Hongbin with his dark eyes and for a moment, he looked kind of scary with sitting there like a statue, but a slight smile was unmistakably playing on his lips.

"Taekwoon"

Taekwoon. The name had suited him in Hongbin's opinion. It was like the man himself, strong but gentle. He felt the urge to say it, to repeat it after him and see how it felt on his tongue but he didn't want to look like a fool in the other's eyes. He tried to show his best in front of him, because for Hongbin, Taekwoon looked perfect. He wasn't what people usually called handsome but Hongbin could swear he had never seen such a good-looking person before. He had that aura around him that attracted Hongbin so much that he could barely take his eyes off him. However, there was something that didn't stop bothering him. He had never seen so many chip marks on one person than on Taekwoon. His whole arm was covered in scars and as far as Hongbin knew, only cyborgs had chips in such a large number. He tried to look for the tattoo on his neck, but he couldn't see it because of Taekwoon's clothing.

"You are not a cyborg, are you?" Taekwoon chuckled and shook his head slightly. He pulled his turtleneck down to reveal his bare neck that was totally barcode free. Hongbin let out a small sigh in relief.

He admired cyborgs but he still believed that love was only possible between humans. No matter how people saw them, cyborgs were just high-tech robots that were created artificially. 

"Can you tell me what they are for?" he asked, pointing at the small chip marks on Taekwoon's forearm. The other pulled up his sleeve to his elbow and started to tell the functions of the chips one by one.

"This one is for my leg injury, this is for helping me see in the dark better, this one is to keep my immune system strong and the last ones are" he stopped there for a moment, rubbing the skin over the last five chips with his thumb "I need them for my work"

Hongbin wrinkled his forehead at that, not hearing about a job that required chips before. He was aching to ask about it and press it further but he decided not to, he didn't want to touch any sensitive topics. If it was important, he would get to know it soon anyway. Moreover it could be something that Taekwoon was not allowed to talk about and he didn't want to make the other uncomfortable. 

He had so many questions, so many things that he wanted to know about Taekwoon. He kept asking all the questions that had popped into his mind and even though Taekwoon only gave him short answers, he was willing to tell everything about himself. Hongbin's questions were only focused on his favorites and hobbies at first, trying to find similarities between the two of them and it made the conversation light and pleasant for both of them. He realized that Taekwoon was not used to showing his emotions but he still smiled from time to time when Hongbin asked something exciting or showed too much interest in one topic. But there were a few questions that Hongbin hesitated to ask.

"Do I know you outside of this dream?"

Taekwoon shook his head as he cut a peace off from his cake with the fork.

"No. But I do know you" he stopped to lick his lips and lifted his head to look into Hongbin's eyes "I couldn't miss your beauty and I wanted to get to know you"

When Hongbin looked into Taekwoon's eyes he felt himself melting. There were pure emotions in the other's eyes and Hongbin didn't have to try too hard to figure them out. It was a mixture of love, caring, interest and amazement, all the feelings that Hongbin felt too. Suddenly, Taekwoon's dark eyes lit up in yellow but they changed back to black so quickly that Hongbin thought he had only imagined it. However the brief shock on Taekwoon's face told him otherwise. 

"What was that?" he asked, pointing right at Taekwoon's face. 

Taekwoon was clearly uncomfortable and still in shock, but he shook his head quickly and gave Hongbin a weak smile.

"I will show you something" Taekwoon whispered and got up to step behind Hongbin. He raised both of his arms and carefully covered Hongbin's eyes with his palms. Hongbin didn't know what he should have expected or what he had been waiting for but he trusted Taekwoon. Even if they met only a few hours ago, he felt like he could put his whole life in the other's hands.

He waited and waited but nothing happened. Taekwoon's palms were loose and warm in front of his eyes and his breath pleasant against his neck. It was nice, it helped him relax but he was restless to know what Taekwoon had wanted to show him. He placed his hands over the other’s, trying to peel them off his eyes, but the moment he had touched Taekwoon, everything went dark.

 

 

 

This was the first time in his whole life that Hongbin honestly thought reality sucked. He knew these thoughts were poisonous that they meant he was slipping and starting to lose his right mind, but he couldn't find the strength in himself to care. He was inching to go back and see Taekwoon, he felt like he would go crazy without him. He kept looking for him everywhere, especially in the flower shop, even though he knew the other wouldn't appear outside of his dreams. Every night he went to bed, he kept hoping that he will meet Taekwoon in his dreams, that he didn't need to wait during the whole week to see him. He prayed that his last session wouldn't be the last time he sees him.

 

 

 

He was standing in the same café with the same warm feeling in his chest. He felt so comfortable in Taekwoon's presence that he totally forgot about all of his worries from before. He interlaced their fingers automatically while he was waiting for Taekwoon to take their orders.  

He thought they were going to sit at one of the tables and talk for hours just like last time, but to his surprise, Taekwoon got their drinks for to-go and led him out of the café.

"Where are we going today?" Hongbin asked cheerfully, getting excited to spend the whole day with Taekwoon. He took his coffee out of Taekwoon's hand and started drinking it slowly.

"To the park"

It was Taekwoon who interlaced their fingers this time, giving Hongbin a gentle smile. They walked to the park in completely silence, but it didn't feel awkward between them anymore. Hongbin was aware that the other didn't like to talk that much - unless it was just the two of them - and he felt like they could understand each other without words. Even if they didn't know each other for a long time, they both learned the meaning behind their small gestures. Hongbin knew by heart that Taekwoon squeezing his hand lightly meant that he was showing affection, that he licked his lips every time he was thinking deeply or that he played with his fingers lazily when he felt nervous or uncomfortable. Just like he knew all of them, he noticed that Taekwoon had also understood even his smallest actions. 

The park was almost empty, just like usual. There were only two or three people doing their daily exercising and a smaller group of young mothers trying to show their toddlers the wonders of the nature. Hongbin didn't understand why people stopped spending their free time outside. The smog was not that bad on most days and it was clearly more bearable in parks and forests. Thanks to the trees the air was much more clearer than anywhere else in the city and the park had everything that one wanted: it had perfect places for resting, small shops that sold food, books or whatever someone wanted, a small lake in the middle, and - Hongbin's favorite - old styled basketball and football fields. It was the most amazing part of the town, at least for Hongbin. 

There were small shops at the entrance of the park that Hongbin usually didn't care about since they were mostly selling cheap ice-cream that he was not a fan of. Yet now, Taekwoon pulled him towards a small cart at the very end of the lane, already preparing his card to buy something. Hongbin had never seen the cart before but when he laid eyes on the colorful sweets that he had loved so much as a kid, his eyes lit up in excitement.

He hadn't eaten cotton candy since he was a child. He had never seen someone selling it for a very long time now and Taekwoon still found him someone without even trying. It just made Taekwoon more perfect in his eyes since he seemed to know even his deepest desires.

After buying the candy for him, Taekwoon led him into the center of the park. They were walking in silence, enjoying the nature around them and each other's presence. Hongbin was munching on his baby blue cotton candy happily, letting Taekwoon stealing some of the candy occasionally. He had never felt so pleasant before. He knew he barely know Taekwoon, yet he felt like they were made for each other. He had often felt like he had been born in the wrong century, like he had no purpose in the world. He felt useless, he had no family or lover at his age, he had a kind of boring and worthless job and he could never reach his dream. He liked living, he liked how he lived his life yet he still felt it empty, like something was missing. With Taekwoon by his side this feeling was gone, replaced by something that he couldn't figure out just yet. He had never known if the missing part was career, or fame or a person who deeply cared for him, but it seemed like Taekwoon gave him the perfect answer for this problem. 

He glanced at their interlaced fingers and let a huge smile appear on his face. He could only dream about something like this before, but now it all became real. He couldn't stop grinning like an idiot with Taekwoon near him. 

As they reached the small lake at the center of the park, Taekwoon suggested to seat on the small bench that was right at the edge of the water. Hongbin shared the same idea and he shoved the remaining cotton candy to Taekwoon before he ran to the lake, putting his sticky hands into the water to wash them. After that, he went back to Taekwoon, sat beside him and let his head rest on the other's shoulder.

He enjoyed their little date more than he could ever express it. It was like the perfect first date that he had always dreamed about and he had so many ideas for their next dates. They could go to the cinema to watch a good movie, maybe a romantic comedy that would set a mood for a perfect dinner after that. He had also wanted to go to the funfair with Taekwoon, trying out all available the rides for couples. They could have so much fun, he had share his thought with Taekwoon and ask him which one he preferred.

"This is probably the last time we meet, you know that, right?"

The words stuck in Hongbin's throat. He didn't understand what Taekwoon was talking about. Why would this be the last time? Had he done something wrong? Had he ruined everything that had formed between the two of them by something?

"What are you talking about?" Hongbin asked confusedly, not daring to look at the other. He didn't want to see the expression on his face, he knew he wouldn't be able to deal with it. He wanted Taekwoon to laugh at him and tell him he was just joking or that Hongbin misunderstood his words. However, the way Taekwoon had tensed beside him made it clear for Hongbin that he wouldn't hear the words he had wished for.

"This is nothing but a dream. A dream that you are having in one of the capsules. After today, it will all be over"

Hongbin froze for a moment, his eyes widening in realization. He had completely forgotten he was only dreaming, that none of it was real. What he feared so much from the beginning became true, he had mistaken the dream as the reality and started losing his right mind. 

He felt his whole body shaking. It was not just because of the shocking realization that he was starting to become insane but also due to the painful sob that threatened to leave his throat. For once in his life, he had finally been happy. He hadn't been lonely, he had had a perfect person by his side. But of course everything had to be fake, all just the creation of his mind.

He didn't know when Taekwoon hugged him, but the other didn't let go of him until he didn't calm down a bit. Hongbin wanted to shake him off but the more he tried the more Taekwoon clung into him.

"How do you know that?"

Hongbin' voice was weak, barely a whisper but Taekwoon heard it clearly. He pulled back to see Hongbin's face clearly and wiped the tears off his cheeks with the sleeve of his pullover. He took Hongbin's hands into his own ones and gave them a slight squeeze.

"Goodbye, Hongbin" Taekwoon whispered and placed a small kiss on Hongbin's forehead. His eyes were bright yellow now and Hongbin couldn't take his eyes off the golden orbs, not even when Taekwoon stood up and took a few steps back, ready to leave him.

Hongbin wanted to run after him, catch him and never let him go, but the moment he moved his vision started to blur. He knew he was already waking up, but he wanted to fight against it even it was hopeless. 

 

 

 

It had been three weeks since his last session, three weeks since he had last seen Taekwoon. It was hard to deal with the fact that he wouldn't see Taekwoon ever again. The first week had been the worst. He had had to call in his work and lie his boss that he had gotten sick. He had spent a whole week with staring at the ceiling. No matter how hard he had tried, he couldn't get Taekwoon out of his mind. The second week hadn't been any better. He had started to work again, but his mind had still been full of Taekwoon and he couldn't concentrate enough. He had kept making mistakes that he had never done before, not even on his very first day. For the third week, he had managed to get himself together.

He was still thinking about Taekwoon and he didn't think it will ever change but at least he could spend a day without crying now. He tried to accept the fact that Taekwoon might have never existed, that he was most probably just the creation of his imagination. He remembered Taekwoon saying that he knew who Hongbin was in reality, but that also could be just the trick of his own mind. But even if he was a real person, he hadn't looked for Hongbin, he didn't want to be with him.

He had become a mess. Finally he understood why people feared the dream capsules, why he had doubts about using it. He was slipping, even if he knew what was real and what not, he didn't want to accept it. He wanted to go back to the dreams, where everything was more vivid, more peaceful and more intimating. He wanted to go back to the place where he could have Taekwoon. The toxic thoughts had totally messed up his mind and he was not thinking straight anymore.

And then, there was it. He had gotten a message from the hospital to go back because of private matters and test results. He was sure that this was the end for him. His toxic thoughts hadn't gone unnoticed by the Monitors and now he would be labeled dangerous in the eyes of the government. He could lie that the Monitors mistook his innocent thoughts but he didn’t want to lie. And most importantly, he couldn't even do it. Lying would mean that he denied all of his feelings for Taekwoon and that he was certain that he only existed in his mind. 

He had no idea what was waiting for him if he was proven dangerous. No one knew what happen to those who had been dragged away by the government, but it was surely nothing positive. They could just kill him quickly and easily since he was not an important person at all. Maybe they would sentence him to prison for the rest of his life where he would be locked away from the society and wouldn't be toxic for anyone. There was one more way to deal with people like him that he could think about but this one made him shiver in fear. They could simply plant a chip in his brain to stop his dangerous thoughts or, even worse, control him completely. If that was the case, he would rather commit suicide than to live like that. He didn't want to become a half-human half-cyborg creature. 

The hospital looked more frightening than ever before. He didn't go to the reception desk to register in, he knew they were already expecting him. He took a seat in the main waiting room and after a few minutes a nurse appeared in front of him, asking him to follow her to one of the examination rooms. 

Hongbin's body way shaking like never before. He felt so anxious that he could barely keep himself from fainting. He had a small butterfly in his palm that he had made a few days back and he hoped it will help to distract his mind, but he almost crushed the poor bug. 

The door of the room opened and a pair of dirty white boots came into his vision. He didn't dare to look up, not when the person who would decide about his future stood in front of him. His eyes stayed fixed on the butterfly in his hand, stroking its wings with his thumb carefully.

"They are nice"

Hongbin's eyes widened when he heard the soft voice. At first he thought that it was just his imagination playing tricks on him that it was just another dream but the warmness he felt made it all too real. A soft hand slid down his cheeks and his head was lifted gently. 

"These were my first words to you, right?"

He looked just like in his dreams. Soft raven black messy hair, sharp, deep, dark eyes, high cheekbones and pink lips. It was really him, the person whom for he had begged for weeks. He was standing in front of in his real self, looking at Hongbin like he was looking at a beautiful picture. Everything about him looked exactly as in his dreams, except one thing. There was a small grey device next to the other's left eye and Hongbin immediately recognized it. It was the same device that Monitors used to be able to control the dreams and not get confused the real and the fake world. It had explained everything from before. The other appearing in his dreams and knowing him from the real life, the yellow eyes, and the amount of chips under his skin. He feared Monitors in his whole life but after everything, he was thankful that they had existed. 

Hongbin reached his empty hand out and let his shaking fingers rest on the other's cheeks. 

"Taekwoon?"

A single tear run down his cheeks. If it was just another dream, he didn't want to wake up ever again. He leaned into Taekwoon's touch as the other wiped away his tear. His palm was warm against Hongbin's cheek, his voice shooing away all the pain Hongbin had felt.

"Are you free for a coffee, Hongbin?"

 

 

**Author's Note:**

> Happy Vixxmas, I hope you liked this little present ♥


End file.
